Colourful Rings
by Franbunanza
Summary: a story about Fran and Balthier's first meeting and how two strange strangers can find that they belong to each other. balfran


Disclaimer: I don't own any of the stuff mentioned.

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It had been a long, hot and boring day reflected the bar maid as she finally finished work. She scoffed as she considered herself a bar maid for a moment. That was her job, just something to tide her over until she could leave this place, not what she was. With a sigh she untied her apron and hung it on the hook, she bid goodbye to the landlord and his daughters and made her exit.

Her footsteps led her down the one of the main docks that protruded from Balfolnhiem port; she made her way all the way to the end.

It was her favourite place in this town, she would sit for hour after hour and allow the longing to explore the rest of the world take over her, she would dream of finding many other favourite places.

But tonight she stopped short of reaching her destination. There was a man sitting in her favourite place, just looking out over the world as she had longed to do this night.

She stood silently and inspected him from behind. He appeared to be quite young, perhaps in his early twenties, his dark blonde hair was cropped short and he had far too many earrings adorning his small hume ears, he turned and faced her.

Her first thought was one that surprised her so, as she rarely thought such things; the man was so handsome, his eyes a deep greyish blue met with hers for a brief second, just short enough for her to try and ignore the sudden thud within her chest. Her second thought was that he looked just as lonely as she felt.

His observer turned on her heal and strode swiftly back up the dock towards the town, her slight annoyance remaining within her, how dare he be sitting where she had wanted to, how dare he smile and raise his eyebrow in that way towards her and how dare he cause her heart to betray her momentarily, he was just a man sitting in her place and that was all he was.

The next day was to be her last as a barmaid. A drunken Seeq had spent the evening making lude comments about her and had finally gone to far when he had grabbed her backside. He soon felt the bitter sting of her hard slap to the side of his large orange face, The Seeq had snarled so rudely at her and grabbed tightly a hold of her wrist, and he swung her round onto the table and cursed at her. Veira were strong but when faced with an angry Seeq and his buddies fear could be cast in to even their mighty hearts. She kicked him hard with her high spiked shoes and returned to the employee's side of the bar.

"What on earth do you think you were doing you stupid girl?!" shrieked the manager.

"He insulted me!" She protested holding an ice pack to her bruised wrist.

"Do you have any idea of that guy's influence around here, we are going to loose so much business because of you." The landlord shouted pounding his fist on the table.

Her dark eyes shot him an insolent look and before she had time to try and cover it she found herself thrown out on to the street.

"Ah!" she said to herself, inspecting her sore wrist which she had landed on.

Before she had time to even consider picking herself up she felt a hand take her own non injured hand and lift her from the floor.

The surprise caught up with her and she tumbled forwards slightly into the arms of a hume man, she knew before she even glanced up that it was the man with the ridiculous earrings that she had encountered the night before.

She kept her brown eyes down and pretended to be fascinated in the intricate design on his armoured chest plate; it was clearly Arcadian, which was one of the places she had managed to visit since leaving her home.

It was a strange and cold place but she had been simply astounded by the things she'd seen there: flying taxi's, renowned theatre and magnificent clothes such as the man she was leaning against was wearing.

It had been too long an embrace for it to still be appropriate, so she gave a cool flash of her eyes and a slight nod of her head in thanks as she stepped away and disappeared into the host of citizens that littered the square.

Even as she weaved her way through the crowd she could still feel his eyes on her. A smile crept across her face but she shook it off, no use going and getting attached to such a fleeting flicker of a distraction.

The day seemed long and even hotter without her job to keep her occupied; she wandered the city looking as lost and as out of place as she always did. People would stare at her and she found that just recently this bothered her, being the only person with all the eyes on her.

Solace was found in the Aerodrome, it was cool and shady and another one of her favourite places. The amazing airships would arrive and depart all day long and she would watch and learn from anyone who would tell her about how they worked.

Her eyes fell on a small but beautiful ship, undoubtedly belonging to a pirate, but then again very few didn't in Balfolnhiem.

Her mouth fell open slightly as she managed to get closer to it, she stared longingly at it. Although any person to witness this might have stated that her stare was no different from her normal expression.

A noise of clanking and huffing distracted her and she noticed a small moogle performing some maintenance.

"You are okay?" she asked.

The moogle jumped down slightly and wiped his brow. He shook his head.

"This is a nightmare, I just don't know how to fix this blasted thing this time!" he sighed. "Don't suppose you know anything about engineering, do you?"

"I've only had a 40 year fascination with it, if that is of any help to you." She replied serenely

The little moogle looked impressed and handed her the wrench. She eagerly set to work and found that she understood this particular ship very well; it was nothing out of the ordinary but had many little quirks, much like herself she mused.

"What is this ship named?" she called to the moogle, not bothering to remove her eyes and hands from the engine.

"Oh it's the _Strahl_don't ask me what it means, I have no idea!" he replied.

"'Tis not your ship?"

"Oh no, no kupo, I just get paid to keep her working. It's my employer's ship."

"I believe I have fixed the problem, do you wish to try it?" she asked as she wiped her oily hands on a rag.

The moogle nodded and successfully started the ship.

"You are a life saver! Thank you so much!"

"It is my pleasure, and your employer needn't know that you had assistance." She assured.

"Heh, thanks, you know you should meet him, he'd love you for sure. He's a got a bit of a soft touch for the ladies, except not so much lately, I do worry that he's lonely."

She gave a slight smile; she knew how that felt more than anything but she did not like to dwell on it.

"I must be going now, but thank you for letting me see the ship."

"Thank you Miss…"

"Oh my Name is Fran, twas a pleasure meeting you." She knelt down to shake his hand, as there was a rather large distance in height between them.

"And mines Nono, the pleasure was all mine Kupo! Look at us shaking hands to say goodbye how funny!"

Fran gave a slight chuckle and bid the moogle farewell.

The rest of the afternoon passed by without much event, she failed to find new accommodation. She felt that after being fired and all it wouldn't be appropriate to stay at the pub anymore. However she did encounter her mystery man once again, she internally scolded herself for referring to him in such a romantic manner, even if it was just inside her head.

It seemed that the he had entered into a card game with the Seeq responsible for her dismissal and a few Bangaa that were also drinking in the bar; it appeared that he had been caught cheating.

A playing card fell out of his sleeve's as he passed her in the street. They were perusing him angrily and shouting allsorts of profanity in his direction.

Before she even considered what she was doing she reached out and slashed a rope with her nail, this rope had been holding a stack of barrels up.

Without the support of the rope they tumbled down and blocked the path. The gang swore loudly, decided it was a lost venture and returned to the dark dusty bar.

Fran looked around but the man had made a hasty getaway, only the playing card remained. She bent down and picked it up; she turned it over to reveal that it was the ace of hearts. She rolled her eyes and suspected that it had been purposely dropped after all in a bid to impress her.

Night came quickly after that and with no room to return to Fran found herself at the dock once more. She tried to deny that she was hoping "he" would still be there and that she was merely going to the end in order to sit in her favourite place. A brief flicker of a sly grin betrayed this logic as she grew nearer and spotted him sitting there.

"Ah, my mysterious companion returns, I had hoped that you would." He spoke without even turning around.

She swallowed her slight nervousness and approached, she sat down next to him.

"How were you so certain it was I?" she asked

"How were you so certain that I thought it was you?"

"Oh" she said looking away and fighting a slight blush, what it was with this Hume that gave her such strange emotions.

He looked at her and smiled, "I knew it was you because of your unusual footwear, they do make a distinct sound on this wood."

"You have most peculiar shoes too!" She added rather haughtily

"Touché." He chuckled. There eyes met and they exchanged smiles.

"Earlier, in the bazaar, you dropped this." She said taking the card out of her sleeve where she had stowed it.

"Why don't you keep hold of that? Oh how rude of me, I have not introduced my self." He said changing the subject. "I am Balthier."

Fran knew instantly that this was not true; she slid the card back into her sleeve and gave him a look that told him of her doubt.

"Well, _now_ I am Balthier." He continued, realizing that this girl could see through his lies.

"Perphaps you have a past you are running from?"

"Perphaps. And your name?"

"Tis Fran."

"Not Frjn? How unlike a Veira to use a vowel so sparingly." He teased.

"I am sure you will find I am unlike most Veira, an outcast if you will."

"Ah, my lady has a dark past of her own does she?"

"Perphaps." She mimicked with a wry grin.

"May I ask what brings such a rare beauty to such a frivolous town?" He asked after a moment or so.

Her dark eyes fixed on the horizon as she considered what to say. She wanted to say that she was lost, that the world was cold and unforgiving when one walked alone. She glanced his way slightly and parted her lips to speak but did not.

"I suppose I am lost too." He whispered quietly after she had remained silent for a while. Her heart had pleaded for him to say the words she could not and he had. She knew from that moment on she would never leave his side; whatever it would take she would be strong enough to endure a relationship with this Hume.

The Wood would be disgusted if she could see her now, but for the first time in the young Veira's life she did not care.

The waves gently rolled in beneath them, the soothing sound the only audible disruption.

Fran placed her hand down by her side and cautiously reached out for Balthier's.

He took her hand in his and held it tightly. She felt the cool metal of his colourful rings pressed against her fingers, she had never seen something so out of place. Bright rings on such a smartly dressed man, bright rings on fingers that clutch her own long slender fingers. She smiled because although it must have looked unusual it felt right, almost as if this feeling was all she'd ever wanted.

She considered the scene, to strangers sitting on the edge of a dock and finding that they finally belong, a smile spread across her face, what were the chances, but for once she did not doubt her heart.

"I wonder, you don't perchance fancy a ride on my airship, do you, She's called the _Strahl?" _Balthier asked.

Fran chuckled to herself and stood up, keeping her hand in his and pulled eagerly on his arm. "I would like that, where will you take me?"

"The stars if you wish it." He said grinning at her

"Let's just start with Dalmasca, shall we."

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A/N: Please review, kisses in advance. 


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